Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region 02
Schools Division of Isabela
STO. DOMINGO - SAN ISIDRO INTEGRATED SCHOOL
Luna District
Name: Kevin L. Dela Calzada
Grade 7 Creative Writing
I. Objectives:
At the end of the discussion, students are able to:
a. Identify the 9 Plots according to Christopher Brooker
b. Differentiate the characteristics of each plot through a collaborative activity
c. Create movie analyses from the films The Wizard of Oz, Alladin, and Sherlock Holmes
II. Subject Matter: The Nine Basic Plots According to Christopher Booker
Materials: PowerPoint presentation
Reference: Website: https://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/basic-plots.html
Strategies: Differentiated group activities and class discussion
Skills: Group collaboration
III. Procedure
A. ESTABLISHING PURPOSE
 The teacher will state the objectives of the lesson.
B. CONTENT OF DISCUSSION

The Nine Basic Plots According to Christopher Booker

1. Overcoming the Monster

Overcoming the Monster stories involve a hero who must destroy a monster (or villain) that is
threatening the community. Usually the decisive fight occurs in the monster's lair, and usually the hero
has some magic weapon at his disposal. Sometimes the monster is guarding a treasure or holding a
Princess captive, which the hero escapes with in the end.

Examples: James Bond films, The Magnificent Seven, The Day of the Triffids

2. Rags to Riches
The Rags to Riches plot involves a hero who seems quite commonplace, poor, downtrodden, and
miserable but has the potential for greatness. The story shows how he manages to fulfill his potential
and become someone of wealth, importance, success and happiness.
Examples: King Arthur, Cinderella, Aladdin.

3. Quest
Quest stories involve a hero who embarks on a journey to obtain a great prize that is located far away.
E.g. Odyssey, Watership Down, Lord of the Rings (though here the goal is losing rather than gaining the
treasure), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Other variations on this basic plot include stories where the object being sought does not bring
happiness. For example, Moby Dick, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

4. Voyage and Return

Voyage and Return stories feature a hero who journeys to a strange world that at first seems strange
but enchanting. Eventually, the hero comes to feel threatened and trapped in this world and must he
must make a thrilling escape back to the safety of his home world. In some cases, the hero learns and
grows as a result of his adventure (Dramatica would call this a judgment of good). In others he does
not, and consequently leaves behind in the other world his true love, or other opportunity for
happiness. (Dramatica would call this a judgment of bad)

Examples include: The Wizard of Oz, Coraline, Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver's Travels, Lord of the Flies.

5. Comedy
Here's where things get confusing. Traditionally, comedy has been defined in several ways.
(1) As any story that ends happily. In Dramatica terms this means that the story goal is obtained
(outcome=success) and the main character has satisfactorily resolved his inner conflict
 (judgment=good).
(2) As a story which is humorous or satirical. With New Comedy or Romantic Comedy: as a drama
about finding true love (usually young love). Traditionally these stories have ended in marriage.
Booker makes a valiant attempt at a better definition of comedy, but finds he cannot apply the
same plot structure to it as with the other basic plots. Instead, he loosely defines Comedy in terms
of three stages:

The story takes place in a community where the relationships between people (and by implication true
love and understanding) are under the shadow of confusion, uncertainty, and frustration. Sometimes
this is caused by an oppressive or self-centered person, sometimes by the hero acting in such a way, or
sometimes through no one's fault.

The confusion worsens until it reaches a crisis.

The truth comes out, perceptions are changed, and the relationships are healed in love and
understanding (and typically marriage for the hero).

6. Tragedy
Tragedy, along with Comedy, is usually defined by its ending, which makes these two unlike the other
basic plots. In Dramatica terms, a tragedy is a story in which the Story Goal is not achieved
(outcome=failure) and the hero does not resolve his inner conflict happily (judgement=bad).
Booker's description of this plot is close to that of the classic tragedies (Greek, Roman, or
Shakespearean).

Examples: Macbeth, Othello, Dr. Faustus

7. Rebirth
Rebirth stories show a hero (often a heroine) who is trapped in a living death by a dark power or villain
until she is freed by another character's loving act. As with Comedy, Booker's outline of this plot is
sketchy.

One of the big problems with this plot is that the hero does not solve his own problem but must be
rescued by someone else, and therefore can avoid resolving his inner conflict. This is why many
women hate fairy tales: the heroines are so passive.

The Disney version of Beauty and the Beast solves the problem by making Belle the main character
(she rescues Beast). Though Marley intervenes to rescue Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Scrooge
ultimately chooses to change and therefore saves himself. (Hint: any new version of Sleeping Beauty
should make the Prince the main character.)

Examples include Sleeping Beauty, A Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast, The Secret Garden
8. Mystery
Mystery is a story in which an outsider to some horrendous event or drama (such as a murder) tries to
 discover the truth of what happened. Often what is being investigated in a Mystery is a story based on
one of the other plots.

Booker dislikes Mysteries because the detective or investigator has no personal connection to the
characters he's interviewing or the crime he's investigating. Therefore, Booker argues, the detective
has no inner conflict to resolve.

This may be true many of Mysteries, including some by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie.
However, in other Mystery stories the detective does have a personal stake in the plot, which gives
rise to inner conflict – often a moral dilemma. Chinatown, is one example that springs to mind. So is
Murder on the Orient Express and The Maltese Falcon (just to name some classics).

Nonetheless, it is true that Mysteries often do not leave one with the sense that the world has been
totally healed (after all, innocent victims are still dead). This sets it apart from most of the basic stories
- with the exception perhaps of Tragedy.

9. Rebellion Against 'The One'

The last of Booker's basic plots, Rebellion Against 'The One' concerns a hero who rebels against the all-
powerful entity that controls the world until he is forced to surrender to that power.

The hero is a solitary figure who initially feels the One is at fault and that he must preserve his
independence or refusal to submit. Eventually, he is faced with the One's awesome power and
submits, becoming part of the rest of the world again.

In some versions, the One is portrayed as benevolent, as in the story of Job, while in others the reader
is left convinced it is malevolent, as in 1984 or Brazil. These darker versions seem to be what make
Booker less than keen on this basic plot.

Though Booker doesn't mention it, a common variation is to have the hero refuse to submit and
essentially win against the power of the One. In The Prisoner, the hero eventually earns the right to
discover that the One is a twisted version of himself, after which he is set free. In The Matrix, Neo's
resistance eventually leads to a better world. Another example is The Hunger Games series, where
Katniss's continued rebellion eventually leads to the downfall of both the original tyrant and his
potential successor, resulting in a freer world.
C. EVALUATION

The students will make movie analyses from the films The Wizard of Oz, Alladin, and Sherlock Holmes.
After which, the teacher will give a quiz for content retention.

Prepared by:

KEVIN L. DELA CALZADA

Subject Teacher